Monday, February 6, 2012
Week 4- These are The Breaks: Turntabalism and DJ Culture
This week we will use the keywords TURNTABALISM and SAMPLING to guide us through
our readings from Robert Karimi, Joe Schloss and Andrew Bartlett on DJ Culture and the foundations of Hip-hop culture.
How can you define these terms in ways that illuminate the historical and archival practices of the Hip-hop DJ? How
has the sample been used historically to created links between the past and present of African
American and other music traditions? If turntabalism is a musical practice, in what way does the ethics of sampling
followed by DJs impact how we understand and listen to the foundations of Hip-hop music ?
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The music genre known as hip hop was influenced by past music genres to create something new. According to the documentary, “Scratch”, hip hop started out as DJing, then became scratching. Scratching was created by Grand Wizard Theodore, who in an interview in the documentary says hip-hop is a combination of graffiti break-dancing, DJs and MCs, the way you dress, and the way you talk. From scratching developed turntabalism, which is about notes, beats and timing, according to DJ Babu (Scratch). These elements of turntabalism can be recognized in songs like “Shut Em Down” by Public Enemy, which had a fast-moving beat and “Street Dreams” by Nas ft R Kelly, which had a calm, slow beat. Sampling and turntabalism are essential for hip hop music and its community. Turntabalism brings people from all different cultures into the hip hop movement. “Hip hop pioneers such as Afrika Bambaataa initiated samples from cultures around the world in an effort to bridge racial divides” (lecture 1/23). Sampling uses the past to create a beat for the new generation. Robert Karimi says hip hop does not reject its past, but rather he says it utilized the past to create something new. “Sampling is not simply an historical product of the digital technology now widely available” (Bartlett 575). Rather, digital sampling is important in that it distributes significant artistic elements. “Hip hop producers, among themselves, feel no need to justify sampling; it is the foundation of the musical system” (Schloss 609).
ReplyDeleteTurntabalism and sampling are two of the key parts that go into producing a good hip-hop beat and sound. Although with current advancements in technology the true art in it is being extinguished. With “DJs” simply being able to hit switch on an MP3 file and cut up sounds on his computer the actual practice of turntabalism is becoming a thing of the past. Along with turnatabalism comes sampling, the practice of using sounds from someone else and slightly modifying them into your own piece. These two important parts of hip-hop played major roles into making hip-hop what it is today. It was a way for people to express themselves through the sounds that they were producing. In “How I Found My Inner DJ” by Robert Karimi, the subject talks about how his DJing work had been influenced by multiple different outlets, from ethnicity and culture to the identity of ones self. One of the examples I found very interesting was how the disco genre was losing popularity quickly amongst the younger generations, as hip-hop was on the rise. Oddly enough some of the first DJs we heard, like DJ Cool Herc, were using samples heavily influenced if not straight from disco songs mixed with a hip-hop beat to create an infectious sound that took off creating much buzz amongst the younger crowd.
ReplyDeleteIn class we spoke about how a DJ is anyone who selects, plays and/or manipulates music. In the documentary Scratch it explains how the Hip-hop music genre started as DJ-ing, which then developed into “scratching”, which then developed into turntabalism. At the beginning of Hip-hop, DJ’s music supplied an outlet for frustrations to youth and brought diverse groups together through the manipulation of sonic culture within the music. When Hip-hop started, DJs were seen as the main act and the MC highlighted the DJ, but as the music genre grew MCs started to become the central act on stage. DJs have always been seen as important, and turntabalism has always seen mixing records live as equally difficult and credible as live musicians playing music. As the MCs status began to rise, the MC and DJ created a “call and response” relationship together too. As far as sampling goes, the sample has been used historically to link the past African American and other music traditions with the present. For example, on the first day of class we watched “Otis”, by The Throne. Kanye West, who produced the track, sampled Otis Redding and therefore links past music and African American culture with music and Hip-hop today. A producer can sample anything from a previous culture such as music, movies, books, advertisements, fashions, etc. and that sample from previous traditions can be related to a theme for a song in multiple ways. Artists and producers are constantly taking and learning from those who came before them, and that is why sampling is essential to the progression of Hip-hop. Without those Hip-hop forefathers, the genre wouldn’t be what it is today and if it wasn’t for current artists making Hip-hop what it is today, then there wouldn’t be a new Hip-hop for tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteDJing and turntabalism, as mentioned in Scratch was coined by DJ Babu, is one of the four main elements of Hip-hop. Sampling beats, music, songs, films, or whatever you want is common when incorporating beats to make a mix truly your own. (Lecture 2/6). Within this realm of sampling there are unwritten ethics, or rules that a DJ is expected to abide by. (Schloss 611). With DJs, the same rules apply as with any other musician because the turntable is their instrument. An example of this is “no biting”, which means that one can’t sample material that someone else has used lately. (Schloss 612). DJing, like any other element of Hip-hop has began to evolve over time. Back in the beginning it was more about “digging in the crates” whereas now there are more CDs and digital files that DJs will incorporate into their mixes. There was also more of an emphasis on the DJ compared to now when it seems to be all about the MC. (Schloss 618). If you ask any real DJ, there is nothing like the vinyls. The innovators in turntabalism are from Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, Grand Wizard Theodore and many more. DJing is becoming a more background art to the MCs while more DJs are becoming producers and MCs themselves. For example, Kanye West is not only known for his sampling ability, but also his producing, and recently decided that he wanted to test out DJing.
ReplyDeleteDisk Jockeys around the world have introduced many of the now widely-used techniques into the modern world of hip-hop through the art of turntablism. The term turntablism was coined by DJ Babu to put more focus on the turntable technique of a DJ, rather than his/her vocal, mixing, or mixing ability (Hodges Persley). DJ’s see their turntablism techniques as equal to those who can play a more commonly known instrument, making the turntable an instrument itself (Scratch). Turntabalism has created many techniques such as scratching and sampling. Sampling, a technique which was first started by the early DJs of New York City, has become a prominent technique used in modern hip-hop music. The art of of digital sampling involves using available media, texts, and contexts for performative use, which is connected to the African American/African diasporic aesthetic of repurposing (Bartlett 565). Master samplers would use old vinyls - never tapes or CDs - and manipulate the beat and breaks of the songs to create their own tracks. There is an unwritten code of ethics that DJ’s follow for sampling which prevents other DJs from stealing, or ripping, from an original mix of another turntablist (Schloss). In order to find these vinyls to sample from, DJs would go to lesser known stores, yard sales, and other underground areas in order to find something that has never been sampled before. They would keep these areas secret to other DJs in order to keep their beats unique to their beat repertoire. In modern hip-hop, sampling has become more of a job for hip-hop producers rather than the DJ.
ReplyDeleteWithin the genre of hip-hop, turntabalism and sampling are two major key concepts that influence what hip-hop is today. In the documentary film, Scratch, DJ Babu explains how hip hop started out as DJing, which then evolved into “scratching”, and then turntabalism (Scratch). Turntabalism was created in the mid 1990’s and views mixing records live, as equally important as live musicians playing music. It is more focused on the turntable technique and less on the mixing, rapping, and vocal delivery that MC’s focus on (2/6 Lecture). These early influences helped to create outlets for youth to address the many frustrations of their daily lives, and used turntables as musical “interments” to create new kinds of music in front of live audiences. During these early stages of hip-hop, the DJ’s were the main act and the MC’s were just there to help. As hip-hop has evolved though, the MC’s began to overshadow these DJ’s (2/6 Lecture). Sampling originally involved the borrowing of pieces from existing music and using those sounds in new contexts as part of an original musical work. Sampling now has many different rules when it comes to its ethics. One rule being, that there is “no biting”, meaning that an artist is not allowed to use material that has recently been used by another artist. With these rules of ethics in sampling, this helps to keep material original and preserve the essence in hip-hop (Schloss).
ReplyDeleteSampling and turntabalism are the backbones of hip-hop even more so than MCing. As long as there has been sampling, there has been an ethical code amongst DJs pertaining to stealing samples and giving credit where it is due (Schloss 611). There have been some artists that will put multiple samples in one song. On the track "It's My Thing" by EPMD, their DJs sampled multiple songs from "Seven Minutes of Funk" to "The Wall" by Pink Floyd. Most listeners will never pick up on songs that have been sampled, which begs the question: Is that stealing? There are sections from some songs such as "Impeach the President" by the Honey Drippers and "I need a freak" by Sexual Harassment that have been sampled on copious numbers of tracks throughout time. The whiney drone of "I Need a freak" is most likely recognized during the part of "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas where Will I Am sings "she's got me spendin'" in unison with the sample. Should the BEPs give credit on the track? On the album credits? Or should they never sample the song to begin with? Numbers of groups will actually be compensated each time their song is sampled. Does this take away from the DJ's talents? In a Village Voice article, Jazzy Jay said that they would take a drum-beat and a break, mix it and extend it to twenty minutes long (Bartlett 571). The purpose of this was to keep people on the dance floor; it had nothing to do with the MC. Sampling and turntabalism have evolved, but definitely cater towards the MC more now than the past. Sampling and DJing are cornerstones of hip-hop, as long as you pay homage and respect where your music originates.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop music began underground so the artists set their own guidelines or ethics which they abide to which is different than other genres of music. Joe Schloss looked deeper into this and found that “producers address the essential requirements of “hard work” and “effort” that are embedded in such practices as “digging in the crates” to locate crucial recordings. Alternative approaches may be more time-efficient but they are also looked down upon by producers, resulting in admonition and disrespect from one’s peers. The labor involved in locating beats is a means of paying one’s dues in the hip-hop sector and the work ethic involved is, accordingly, related to respect among producers” (609). This shows that the ethics within their community revolve around mutual respect and not wanting to ruin one’s reputation. Turntabalism and sampling make up the basics of hip-hop music. Turntabalism was created when artists started manually touching the vinyl records to create their own sounds. They defied social norms by doing this and that is what made their music so different from other genres. People began to experiment with different techniques on the turn tables and one could only truly learn how to do it by practicing. Lots of work went into it whether it was seeking out new records or finding new sounds to incorporate into the music. DJ Grand Wizard Theodore created the method of scratching simply by accident when he was listening to music one day (Scratch). Sampling is the practice of taking beats from someone's music and putting one’s own spin on it. Hip-hop artists get a lot of their ideas from listening to the environment around them. As Duke Ellington said, “you get the full essence of Harlem in an air shaft. You hear fights, you smell dinner, you hear people making love. You hear intimate gossip floating down. You hear the radio. An air shaft is one great big loudspeaker.” (Andrew Bartlett) This just further emphasizes that hip-hop is a mixture of sounds, culture, techniques, and locations.
ReplyDeleteDJing and turntabalism are just two different key aspects to hip-hop. they liven up the culture and sounds of the music. there are so many different ways to sample music, and with each artist putting their own spin on the songs and making it different than the original are limitless. Artists such as Kanye and Eminem and Dre have all used sampling in their music and they all have made something unique. I did a little bit of outside research and Amen Brother by The Winstons is one of the most sampled tracks in the history of music.
ReplyDeletein the early years of hip-hop and sampling, artists wouldn't have to get permission to use other artists' songs. now days, more times than not, you need permission to use the other artists' song. In most cases, they are always approved. when i first thought what sampling was without even learning it, I immediately though of the group Super Mash Bros. They take different songs (new and old) and mash them up together to form one song. The music is absolutely great.
When it comes to turntabalism, it goes hand in hand almost with DJing. Now some DJs prefer original vinyl records and some more recent DJs use computers with programs such as iTunes and other programs created for mixing music. there is no wrong way to DJ. As long as you keep the crowd involved and happy, I'd consider that a fantastic DJ.
Some examples of DJs I can think of are DJ Kool Herc and one more recent one that a lot of people probably don't consider a DJ but Pauly D. The guy can DJ. He's incredible.
In my opinion, the DJ is one of the most overlooked components of Hip-hop. The DJ’s role in the development of Hip-hop music cannot be overlooked. As stated in lecture, the DJ was the “premier” act in early stages of Hip-hop. The MC was only there to help pump up the crowd, but as is evident nowadays, the MC was without a doubt surpassed the DJ as the focal point of Hip-hop. Even though the DJ has become a more behind the scenes aspect of Hip-hop, they remain just as crucial. “DJs can be viewed as musical griots who have to remember Hip-hop’s history” (2/5 lecture.) The artistry that is “turntablism” is based on mixing and sampling a wide range of different records together to create a unique mix of sounds. One could not possibly be considered an “ethical” DJ without knowing the history, the story, the origins of the samples before they use them. Attempting to mix records without educating oneself would quickly expose one’s lack of knowledge and quickly lose any accreditation as a DJ. Not knowing your samples not only makes you look like a sorry DJ, but also an uneducated Hip-hop listener. So much of Hip-hop is based on knowledge. An uneducated listener might not realize “One More Chance” (Stay with me Remix) by the Notorious B.I.G. is a sample of DeBarge’s hit song “Stay With Me” from the ‘80s. They probably wouldn’t catch the Isley Brother’s sample of “Choosey Lover” in Nas’ “Street Dreams” Remix with R. Kelly either. You have to know your history and where you came from to appreciate where you are today. One must realize the majority of today’s music is nothing but a compilation of many samples and recognize how turntablism pioneered the sounds we are accustomed to hearing today.
ReplyDeleteDJing truly is key component of hip hop. Without select beats and manipulation of music the sounds we know and love would not exist today. According to the documentary “Scratch” DJing started out hip hop which lead to scratching. This form of music artistry created by Grand Wizard Theodore opened up doors for a whole new outlet for expressing one’s self through music. The use of turntablism was experimented with in the 1990’s. DJ Babu opened up doors for icons like DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Run-DMA, and DJ Jam Master Jay. Turntablism is known as musical instrument for more than its ability to provide sound but also because of the skill and dedication it takes to turn music into music. Another main component of hip hop was sampling. Sampling is known to uses the past beats and sounds to create new beats; sampling music as helped tie in appreciation of other cultures. In “How I found my Inner DJ” by Robert Karimi, the writer mentions many ties to his ethnicity and other cultures that have influenced him in creating music. That is the beauty of sampling it opens up doors for creativity and for creating the next new thing. Technology these days have made it easy to click on any MP3 file and create a beat from selected sound, but true dedication of a DJ is sample vinyl records. These two components of hip hop have helped highlight the artistry behind hip hop.
ReplyDeleteTurntabalism and sampling play an enormous role in hip-hop music and culture, and they have been around practically since its birth. Although the term was not coined until the mid 1990s by DJ Babu, the concept of “turntablalism” at its roots was thought of as a “full-fledged DJ art form through the late 1970s and into the 1980s” (Forman 528) but this changed dramatically with advancements in technology. As we discussed in lecture, many DJs now use CDs and digital sound files to mix music. Although increasing simplicity is usually regarded as a good thing, the aspect of turntabalism being a unique skill that involved scratching vinyl records has generally declined due to shifts towards the use of lap tops along with other various forms of technology. Sampling is another vital aspect of hip hop that is commonly overlooked. One reason for this is that many listeners are unaware of the sample; this could be because they have never heard the original song that the sample was taken from or for the fact that the sample isn’t given the credit or acknowledgement it deserves. A good example of sampling in modern day hip hop could this could be the song “Otis” by Jay-Z and Kanye West which we listened to on the first day of class. It opens the song with sampling from Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” and I respect the fact that the two named the song after him, clearly acknowledging the source of the sample.
ReplyDeleteTurntabaling and sampling are two very key important aspects not only in DJing but also in hip-hop music. A DJ is a person who selects, plays, and manipulates music (Lecture 02/06). In the documentary Scratch, DJ Babu talks about how it started with DJing, eventually what was called scratching, and then in the mid 1990’s turned into turntabaling. In the earlier stages of DJing they used vinyl records to mix the music. Eventually it turned into using modern technology, and people started mixing songs on digital files, or CD’s (Lecture 02/6). Schloss says that, “The labor involved in locating beats is a means of paying one’s dues in the hip-hop sector and the work ethic involved is, accordingly, related to respect among producers” (609). However, there has been a huge dispute that when DJ’s sample and mix music, they aren’t crediting where the music originated (Schloss 612). In DJing, they don’t want to tear each other down, they just want to be the best. Now, DJ’s focus more on the technique and not so much on the mixing and the vocals. The purpose is to show their creativity so that people would want to come watch them “live”, just as much as they would want to see a famous MC live.
ReplyDeleteSampling causes us to question what is truly original. Whether published or spoken, artistic or academic, all of our thoughts are a form of sampling; of chewing up thoughts we read, works we see, and sounds we hear to ultimately reconfigure into “our own” ideas. This process of recycling thoughts gave way to the prioritization of creativity over originality in sampling ethics (Schloss 615). To declare something “original” is to discredit past thinkers/artists and deny the fact that trends and ideas reemerge over time. Hip-hop explicitly recognizes historical cyclicism, therefore “We don’t throw away the past- we transform it” (Karimi 230). Karimi suggests that sampling not only allows “massive archiving” of the past, but enables us to mash our collection of history up with the current to create an eclectic collage of our immediate state (Bartlett 572). The dynamism of sampling is what keeps hip-hop current yet grounded, relevant yet rooted. The metaphor of “re-sampling” as “incest” hints at the essential role ethical sampling plays in the survival of hip-hop (Schloss 619). Similar to marrying into a different gene pool, sampling from a diverse range of sounds prevents hip-hop from becoming in-grown and weak. Turntabalism is another way that hip-hop remains interactive and dynamic so that “passive pop listeners” can be transformed into “creative producers” (Bartlett 572). Similar to sampling, turntabalism conceptually customizes and physically manipulates a body of collected sounds to create an entirely new sound out of preexisting music.
ReplyDeleteHip-Hop would not have gotten this far without the art of turntabalism and sampling. The term turntabalism was coined in the mid 90’s by DJ Babu (lecture 2/6). Sampling originally involved borrowing pieces of existing recorded music and using those in new context as part of an original musical work (lecture 2/6). Both of these have evolved hip-hop into what it is now. But some feel that both of these integral parts of hip-hop are fading out with the advancements in technology. Although there are no set in stone laws of sampling, all of the DJ’s that were interviewed by Joseph Schloss, in the article “Sampling Ethics”, agreed that there were some unwritten laws that all DJ’s and MC’s should know and follow. Most of these pertained to the sampling of music. There is a sense among many producers that vinyl records are the only legitimate source for sampled material (Schloss 615). Oliver Wang and Producer Specs both were interviewed and agreed with that statement to an extent. Producer Specs sees digging for vinyl as a process of paying dues… (Schloss 616). Strath Shepard positions digging for vinyl as an expression of a philosophical commitment to hip-hop culture (Schloss 616). Although the technology advancements are changing these unwritten laws are still being followed by the artists of today.
ReplyDeleteThe DJ is an extremely important component to a hip-hop artist or group. If Dj Yella wasn’t in NWA you never know what NWA would of turned out like; if DJ premier didn’t scratch and do the beats for Ganstarr you never know how that group would have turned out. Half the battle in producing good hip-hop music is having a great DJ. A very important aspect of being a DJ is sampling. Sampling is taking music that is already out and mixing it up and turning it into a beat. “The Junior M.A.F.I.A., the ‘Players Anthem.’ Pramier and Jeru came with a song called ‘Playin Yourself.’ They used the same bass sound, and flipped it around, and changed the title” (Schloss, 612) This is a perfect example of sampling. In sampling there are certain ethics that DJ’s respect. An example of this is no biting. No biting simply means you can’t steal any intellectual information from any other hip-hop artist. Rules like this are taken very seriously throughout the hip-hop community. DJing is an art of it’s own, coming from a person who collects vinyl’s and has two turntables. It takes a lot of skill to play and scratch with these musical tools.
ReplyDeleteTurntabalism was termed by DJ Babu as an artistry of mixing records live and being able to successfully manipulate different sounds together to create an enjoyable listening experience. In the early stages of hip- hop DJ’s were the main event and they were highly respected for their use of samples and being able to incorporate their knowledge of the history to come up with a new sound. Robert Karimi says, “Our inner DJs are like the multiarmed being, our records are infinitely grooved and the sounds of our lives captured and mixed, remixed like the strings of energy physicists now believe are the basic building blocks of life.” DJ’s have the difficult job of coming up with original sounds to represent their own style, using historical content to do so, while trying to release their stress and frustration of their environments all at once. DJ’s isolated particular parts of songs using turntables to manually mix with other music and samples. “Sampling can be understood as the act of musical, physical, aural, visual and oral re- appropriation of existing materials for artistic achievement and effect (Persley).” Yet this concept of sampling, taking other pieces of existing music requires the establishment of specific rules. There was a common code in early Hip- hop communities that it was unethical to steal beats or copy someone’s flow and a DJ was considered authentic only if they followed the steps. “The ideal song, of course, will be both ethically correct and pleasing to listen to (Schloss).” This system of ethical codes presented the idea that no one could copy one another, which brought about this whole spirit of competition in the hip- hop world. The “battles” between DJ’s began to emerge, everyone wanted to “check each other” and “one up each other” so completely new innovations were formed. For example the creation of the “scratching.” Someone quotes in the video that their parents told them to never touch the records, that they would ruin them. The creation of scratching was originally a fluke accident, but became a worldwide thing. Hip- hop is always advancing; with new technological advances the world of sampling and Turntabalism is infinite with opportunity for hip- hop artists.
ReplyDeleteDylan Woodard
ReplyDeleteBefore the time that MCs were in the spotlight, DJ’s had the light and created a base for hip hop music. DJ Babu explained this in “Scratch” and also that DJ’ing was popular due to the infinite possibilities of vinyl. DJ’s, people who selected, mixed and sampled music, were very skilled in the art form of turntabalism. The popular DJ’s spent countless hours trying new mixes and searching for new vinyl to sample. The DJ would research and pay their dues to the artist that they are sampling from. With the shift in technology, turntabalism is taking a different shape. Today, a DJ can find almost any beat or sample by surfing the web. Because of this, less DJs actually pay respect to the artists that they get their samples from. This goes against the ethics that Schloss described in “Sampling Ethics”. Even with the change in technology and DJ’ing, sampling is most likely always going to be around. Eminem’s for “Sing for the Moment”, samples a very popular Aerosmith song “Dream On”. Eminem featured Steven Tyler in the song which shows how he paid his respect for the sample.
In class on 2/6 we learned that sampling in hip-hop involved the borrowing of pieces of existing recorded music and using these sounds in new contexts as part of an original music work. In Schloss’s article, Sampling Ethics, we read about four terms that are continually used when discussing the nature of sampling. Biting, is a term used to describe unoriginality, and the expression “no biting” is used when one should be original. The second term is flipping, which “refers to creatively and substantially altering music in any way” (Schloss, p613). Third is chopping, which “refers to altering a sampled phrase by dividing it into smaller segments and reconfiguring them in a different order” (Schloss, p613). Chopping is seen in a lot of today’s songs with the “chopped and screwed” type of sample, in which beats are chopped and slowed down. The last term is looping, which is when an artist samples long phrases and repeats it with little or no alteration.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Schloss’s article, there are many implicit rules associated with sampling, and a lot of hip-hop artists create certain rules for sampling, and think it can be unoriginal. DJ Topspin said, “if you’re doing nothin’ but sampling a vocal and just hittin’ it, then that says that you have no deejay skills or desire to showcase them” (Schloss, p620). I agree with this statement, because over-sampling can really prove a deejay to have no skills. “The rule against sampling from hip-hop records emphasizes the value of hard work and creativity. Sampling from a hip-hop record…does not demonstrate either of these qualities because the record has already been discovered, presented, and optimized for a hip-hop aesthetic” (Schloss, p620).
Another powerful point made in Schloss’s article is not to sample form a record one respects. The music is already too good, that sampling it in an attempt to make it better can be disrespectful to the “great artist” who created it.
Turntables are used by DJs as a “musical instrument” to create music live for a new audience. DJs who use turntables want to be recognized as musicians capable of interacting and improvising with each other (lecture, 2/6).
Turntablism is the art on creating music through the manipulation of sound by using turntables or DJ mixer. Turntablist is a person that creates this type of music. The word was coined by DJ Babu in 1995. Babu created the word to separate the DJs that just plays the music from the DJs that create the music. Beat mixing and matching, scratching, and beat juggling are just some of the techniques that turntablist use to create their music. Turntablism got its roots in Hip-Hop in the early 70s.
ReplyDeleteSampling in music is where someone takes a section of a sound recording and then use that section of sound in their own music. Sampling started with musicians experimenting by use already existing tracks to create new music. DJs was sampling a lot in Hip-Hop, usually consist of one part of a song, like the break.
Most peoples view the art of making music as a respectable, virtuous, creative field. Yet, they don’t look at DJing in the same light. Why? That is the question, just how a pianist uses a piano to create music a DJ uses vinyl or digital files on turntables to create music (Lecture 2/6). Just how a violinist uses his music to bring together people using his violin, DJs bring together diverse groups together through their manipulation (Lecture 2/6). So now we established that DJing is an art of making music and no different than any other music field. The term turntabalism was coined by DJ Babu, an icon in the DJ world (Lecture 2/6). The art of sampling in African American hip-hop is connected to an African American/ African diasporic aesthetic (Bartlett 565). Sampling is using already made music and mixing it to create new music. DJs and turntabalism have a rich history, DJing was the start of the hip-hop movement (Scratch), DJs such as Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Babu started DJing to get the youth away from violence, and as the years progressed MCs thanks again to DJs were getting put on the map (Lecture 2/6). Robert Karimi says, “We don’t throw away the past- we transform it. Past, present, future converge inside us.” (Chung 230). To be a good DJ one must know the history of past music, know what the audience likes today, and know the technology coming in the future in their field. Now over the years DJing has changed, it is no longer the “premier act” (lecture 2/6). DJs now a day are more in the production field making beats for the MCs to rap on. However the ethics of DJs throughout the years haven’t changed. Schloss author of “Sampling Ethics” says “high ethical standards are largely valued on with the production world,” (Schloss 610). What he means is that producers/DJs have unwritten rule that they fallow. Now if one breaks these rules no one is really going to call them out on it, but everyone including the person you did is know they have broken an unwritten rule. It kinda like an honor-code. At the end of the day one might not like DJs or the music they create, however they should respect it just the same as they do any other music creating field.
ReplyDeleteWithout sampling there isn’t turntables. DJing is a key part of hip-hop that boils down to research. You have to research the sounds before you go out and perform. You have to research before you go into a rapping battle as well. Today we think the art of MCing is the forefront of all of hip hop but back in the 1970’s, DJing was in front of MJing. (Lecture 2/6) If you do your research and follow the broad but yet slim ethics of sampling then you will make it big time. The number one rule is no CD’s (or mp3s now). (Schloss 614) If you use cd’s then you are breaking a couple of rule. CD’s are not the traditionally way of djing but it is also easier to do research. You can go to a specific moment in time and mix the songs. What I’m saying is it’s to easy to use a CD. Anyone can do it. It’s the select few who can DJ with vinyl’s and succeed. The second problem is you are also taking someone else’s music, which is another big no no. ( Schloss 612) Turntablism is a difficult but crucial part to hip-hop. It brings all the elements together.
ReplyDeleteDJing is one of the four keys in Hip-Hop culture. DJ is a person who normally uses two turntables as a musical instrument to play music in front of audience. Turentabalism is a term of pop music that emerged from Hip-Hop culture. It seems that the DJ is the only easiest job compared with MCing, Breaking and Graffiti. But I think a DJ is not as easy as people think. In order to create a unique mix of music a good DJ not only needs a very high sense of music but also needs a manipulate control to the turntable. In the past, the DJ uses vinyl records to mix new music. But with the advancements in technology, MP3 files, CDs and other digital sound files are instead the vinyl records. No matter what equipment they are using, they can be a good DJ only if they can bring good music to the audience. Sampling is a DJ gets permission to uses two or more songs written by other people and mix it to create a new unique piece of music. Sampling is another way to make the audience happy and enjoy, and you will see many superstars like Jay-Z, Kanye West to sampling different music and re-rap the song. It is real different.
ReplyDeleteTurntabalism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating music using phonograph or digital turntables and a DJ mixer. The term "Turntablist" was originated in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference between a DJ who just plays records compared to one who performs by touching and moving records. A couple main DJ styles I read the most about were The Backspin Technique, Punch Phrasing, and Scratching. The one that really stood out to me when I grew up was King Grandmaster Flash. He was considered one of the best, and changed the game and made it what it is today. He was eventually inducted in the Hall of Fame. But even he, being one of the best had to learn from someone. The couple that first really impacted DJing was Pete Jones, Kool Herc, and Grandmaster Flowers. When looking up DJ Culture, it said that it was the first single released by British electronic music group Pet Shop Boys, from their singles Collection Album.They have sold over 100 Million records worldwide and are considered one of the worlds best selling artists. Not only are they listed at the best duo in all of UK, but also are Six time Grammy winners. That is an amazing accomplishment for a group that plays this type of music to take home that many Grammys if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteI'm writing this blog as I listen to some Snoop Dogg and Khalifa but it's all good, it's helping me flow through this blog. Regardless, turntablism and sampling are HUGE in all of music, and especially hip-hop. Turntablism is the art of making different music using DJ mixers and turntables. Every DJ you would expect to see from "back in the day" would have used turntables. A famous scene in the movie "Juice", is one that I think is hilarious, but also a good representation of turntablism. They are basically using their turntables as mic's and are battling. This is a perfect example of how turntablism can become competitive. It involves two tables and you usually envision something scratching at two different tables. Turntablism is a classic DJ move and I would stereotype every DJ as a turntable artist at one point. Next, we have sampling. Sampling is AWESOME for rap. Why not? Do you honestly think that music can be unique and different? No, there is only so much we can talk about. So why not use something like sampling to re-create the great lyrics and songs we had and use them again. I know a lot of people mentioned Jay-Z as using samples and that is true. Jay-Z uses a ton of samples and it's cool because he makes a dope song thats new and fresh, but also gives props to the people who originally used the beat. People who hate on sampling are simply ignorant. How could you expect their to be new music and totally fresh ideas and beats? I mean....there is, but without sampling music would completely suck. I think that sampling really gives music a refresh of memory that it desperately needs. "Otis" is a classic track that shows a good example of sampling. I think it gives hip-hop exactly what it needs, which is a remembrance of where the culture came from. Regardless, turntablism and sampling give hip-hop that extra dose of "swag" or momentum that allow it to be a dominant force of music for each and everyone one of us.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop is about the sample. Hip-hop started out as a mix of experiences. It began as a cultural mix of oppression and feeling trapped without a voice. Hip-hop itself is a sample of the life that surrounds it. It is an outlet to anyone who wants to use it. I disagree with Schloss because he limits the artistry of hip-hop by trying to define what it can and cannot do or be. Hip-hop was created to by pass the should and the supposed to. It is “fighting the powers that be”. Schloss is all riled up because of the disappearance of the DJ and not giving showing respect to those that originate the beats fluently. I would have to agree that the MC is the prominent artist nowadays, but that is just a change in the culture; hip-hop is a representation of its environment. I think that the MC gives the samples a different meaning. Bartlett refers to the sampler that “extracts” the beat, well it is the MC that extracts a different meaning from the compilation of beats by laying lyrics over them. An MC creates harmony between words and the sonic conversation created by the DJ. The MC has a second sight to the DJ’s mix that helps convey to the audience. Turntablism can still be the art form if Schloss wishes, but the MC is the description underneath that gives the observer some direction as to where the DJ is trying to take us.
ReplyDeleteTurntablism and sampling are essential to a DJs identity. DJ Babu brought the word “turntabalism” to the mainstream in mid 90’s (Lecture). Turntablism is the way a DJ uses their turntables, records, and mixer to manipulate the sound of the records being played. DJs used the turntables as their instruments to create new music “live” before audiences (Lecture). As the “Scratch” documentary says, a popular turntablist technique is scratching. Scratching is the moving of the record on the turntable back and forth to create a “scratching” sound out of the speakers. Earlier on in hip hop, the DJ was the main act. But over time, the MC took over this title. The DJ eventually started to be called a “producer” who would “sample” the records they had in their collection as a way to make beats for the MC. According to the Schloss reading, their are some unwritten ethics or rules involved in sampling. The first is “no biting”, which is you can’t sample material that has been used recently by someone else. Next is that records are the only legitimate source for sampled material, which finding records is done through the act of “digging in the crates” at record stores. Another is one cannot sample from other hip hop records. Then there is one can’t sample records one respects. Next is one can’t sample from reissues or compilations recordings. Finally, one can’t sample more than one part of a given record. Older DJs or producers prefer vinyl and they often earn more respect, but with the way technology changed the industry, many now use CDs and digital sound files to sample.
ReplyDeleteThis weeks readings really threw me off. I could understand the Chang reading, and I found it to be rather interesting and informative to how another DJ came about his career. But the other two I did not like or could I retain the information. I think Turntabilism is really facinating to how it got started. People would use literally anything they could find to make music. As for sampling, I think sometimes it could be unfair. It's weird to me that someone could spend lots of time creating a song, but then someone else could buy it or write it off from them. In my favorite show, One Tree Hill, this happened to this character and she really struggled with the fact of letting someone else sing it and switch it up from the way she had created it.
ReplyDeleteAnother example that I relate to sampling is the Halftime show. I hated the halftime show when I watched it one Sunday. I did not understand where the plot was coming from, and Madonna to me was really disturbing. But after talking about it in class, I looked at it through a different set of eyes. So when I got home I rewatched it again to see if I felt any different about it, and I did. I even told several friends what I now thought and argued my way of opinion to them. I see why Madonna did what she did, and how she used samples of multiple songs tied into hers, so she could bring several other artists out onto stage. I now understand where the choir bit came from, and I think that was really brave.
It is amazing the things I have already picked up so far in this class. My music genre has completely changed from being in this class. I now really enjoy watching music videos, just to see the story in each one. As for turntableism, Sampling, and DJing I don't think they get enough credit either. They are just as important as the rappers and artists, and if it wasn't for them several wouldn't be where they are now.
There is no doubt that DJing had a HUGE impact on Hip Hop. Back in the day, it wasn’t for the DJ a lot of the people that helped create rap and hip hop would not have gotten as big as they did. DJs were used as hype men for the crowd. They made it feel more like a party and people would dance and also battle. It created an outlet for a massive audience. DJing helped build the foundation of Hip Hop (lecture 2/6). Turntableism then grew more popular because of a man named Babu (lecture 2/6). He still DJs for a group that I still listen to, even to this day, Dilated Peoples. He brought more of a battling scene (DJs always trying to one up each other. lecture 2/6) to the game and this would consist of how good of a scratcher they were. This opened up the avenue for the greatest DJs such as Kool Herc, DJ Red Alert, and Jam Master Jay lecture 2/6). If you have never seen a scratch battle I would definitely recommend you do that in your life time, it is amazing to see the crazy ways people can manipulate music. Sampling is another major part of the hip hop scene (especially today). The list goes on and on by how many rappers use pieces of older tracks or someone else’s beat. Lil Wayne got huge off of mixed tapes and samples he has gotten from other artists. There are right and wrong ways to go about “sampling” and not “stealing.” But without sampling hip hop and rap would be completely different. When a new artist takes an old beat to a hit song and mixes his own words it can grab a bigger audience because more people can relate to the sound of the song.
ReplyDeleteAccording to our lecture on Monday, turntabalism is a term that was coined in the mid 1990s by Dj Babu. The website About.com defines turntabalism as “a technique that uses the record player as a musical instrument by using methods such as beat matching and scratching.” Sampling can be defined in music as where someone takes a section of a sound recording and then use that section of sound in their own music. Sampling and turntabalism go hand in hand, because you use turntabalism to produces different samples of music. Sampling has been used to connect the past and present of African American traditions. We learned in one of our first lectures that a lot of hip hop traditions like calling out to the audience back and the audience responding came from African American traditions. Different beats that are used in sampling have a connection with old African traditions as well. When listening to the foundations of a hip hop song we are able to pick out the turntabalism, sampling, and DJing that are all going on in the song, and by understanding those concepts and how they work help us understand the song itself.
ReplyDeleteThe Chang reading this week brought up several interesting points that seemed to correlate with not only the lecture for this class, but other classes I am taking as well. Looking first as sampling, it was interesting to me to see a new look at the idea of sampling itself. After this week it seems that I can hardly think of even one song that does not sample some other in at least one way. This often not only makes a song more familiar to the audience, but also credits other previous artists. Robert Karimi writes, “hip-hop provided me the vocabulary to bridge the thoughts of philosophy, math, identity with community, self and culture,” which based on what we have studied so far is exactly what was intended to come from this music. In class we discussed how DJs impacted hip-hop in it’s early stages as it created an outlet for the youth to address their frustrations. Even in the essay Karimi writes how this form of art was his religion in a sense, that this was how he chose focus all his energy, the I-Thou. By far, my favorite piece in this essay however was in the discussion of hip-hop as art, “Art is the prism of the self. To define art as “hip-hop art” or “people of color art” or “trailer park theatre” limits the spectrum of light the prism emits.” This to me demonstrated just how broad and relatable the subject of not only hip-hop, but art as a whole truly is. Hip-hop, via DJing for Robert Karimi, is how he was able to express himself, it is in fact a way in which the youth can address their frustrations, not only historically but today as well.
ReplyDeleteBefore doing this week’s readings, the concept of sampling was familiar to me, but the idea that there is sampling ethics was something I was previously unaware of. When I hear a song that has sampled parts of another song, like Ice Cube’s “It Was A Good Day,” I took more a pessimistic outlook on the song because I believed that if a DJ or producer is talented, they should be able to create a song with a beat that they created on their own. The “Sampling Ethics” reading by Joseph Schloss showcased how much of an art sampling is and that in almost all types of music, someone is taking a certain aspect of a song and putting their own stamp or influence on it. Sampling allows artists to show their influences proudly. My views on turntablism were a bit more optimistic, but I did not have a lot of knowledge of the art itself. In Andrew Bartlett’s reading “Airshafts, Loudspeakers, and the Hip-Hop Sample,” it states “Working the turntables, Public Enemy’s Chuck D insists, is not far removed from the lofty plateau of musicianship, from which sampling if often looked down upon as unoriginal…” (Forman and Neal, pg. 572). This quotes summarizes many people’s opinion of turntablism and how it’s seen as something that doesn’t take talent to perfect. Like sampling, turntablism is something that is an underrated and sometimes underappreciated aspect of hip-hop. Turntablism has returned to the mainstream through various dubstep DJ’s, but I believe turntablism had its most significance when early hip-hop artists like Run-DMC and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five made turntables into an element of hip-hop music and culture.
ReplyDeleteAs discussed in lecture on Monday, DJs have the ability to select, play, and manipulate music. But in a society that has currently given the spotlight to rappers and MCs, the skillful and essential role of the DJ has taken a back seat. Turning back the clock to the beginnings of DJ culture, DJs traditionally used two turntables and various pieces of electronic equipment, such as faders, to control their methods of sound. Scratch became “like some other kind of intelligence” (Scratch documentary) demonstrating the extreme ability of DJs to manipulate the music and sound of records.
ReplyDeleteFast forwarding to the present, this level of aptitude is still expected. High amounts of respect are given to those who can effectively scratch on vinyl as opposed to relying on digital files. DJs spend hours upon hours digging through garage sales, stores, and even the garbage to find records they can use as samples. Joseph Schloss, in “Sampling Ethics”, writes about the several components that go into sample choices such as the use of purely vinyl records over compilations and being careful not to choose recently used records. DJs are expected to abide by this code of ethics and “sample consciousness” (Chang 223) or be forced to face the irreverence of their actions.
As DJ Qbert stated, “The turntable is a musical instrument. It deals with notes. It deals with measures. It deals with rhythms” (Scratch). It takes exemplary practice, acquired skill, and creativity to master the techniques of a DJ. Both the art form and the artist of turntabalism deserve to be respected.
At first listen, Hip-hop seems like a lazy genre of music. However, sampling is often misconceived and is actually a integral part of what ultimately became Turntablism. Turntablim is defined as “encapsulating DJ practice as musical art form.”
ReplyDeleteBefore Hip-hop became known for its rapping and computerized beats, it began with the Turntablism icons DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambatta. At this time DJ’s were the premeier act of the performance, with most music being sampled from old archives of vinyl records from all over. Being a DJ was not a simple task. DJ’s had to know how to improvise, and a DJ had to know Hip-hop’s history to gain credit, and to be sure that his or her work was consistent within Hip-hop lineage. In fact the form of “battling” did not begin with the MC, it began with DJ’s using different Turntablism techniques to impress the audience.
All in all, the DJ and sampling go hand in hand. Sampling has become the core of Hip-hop, with many of Hip-hops other branches taking the art of sampling to a new level
Much like the other elements of Hip-hop, the terms Turntabalism and Sampling have evolved throughout the years. As we learned in class, Turntabalism was coined by DJ Babu in the mid 90's in attempt to highlight the artistry of DJing. Turntabalism serves for the purpose of focusing more on the beat/technique as opposed to the delivery or flow of the MC. Where Sampling comes into play is that Turntabalism, much like the other forms of Hip-hop, has evolved from Samping. Both DJ's and MC's take samples from their roots or from a background totally alien to their own to enhance their work and bring something new to the game. I think we see a great deal of this Sampling from the roots today, more so than in previous years. The example of this would be with Jay-Z and Kanye's new track, "Otis," which uses a sample from the infamous Otis Redding.
ReplyDeleteThe DJ’s job is to bring together historical moments through the use of sampling, and turntabalism is the skill that allows a DJ to put all the samples together. There is currently a debate between “old school” DJs and up-and-coming DJs about whether the use of digital sound files is ethical (Lecture 2/6). Historically, DJs used vinyl records, and it appears that the true art in DJ culture is diminishing with easy availability of digital files. While some artists seem to be taking the easy way out this way, others are taking DJ culture to a new level with the recent use of “world music, classical music, TV, film, real sounds, nature, and human experiences” (Lecture 2/6) as samples today.
ReplyDeleteBesides the developing technology debate, there are other ethical guidelines that anyone in DJ culture is expected to follow. “’Biting’…refers pejoratively to the appropriation of intellectual material from other hip-hop artists” (Schloss). I think most of us would agree that biting should be unethical in the hip-hop culture, but when it comes to battles, we don’t seem to care who bit. The artist with the most clout among other artists and fans is going to win the battle, no matter if he or she was the one being unethical.
Regardless of the fact that some DJs tend to supposedly misuse the art of sampling, it is very interesting to see what creative artists have done with it. Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” was used as a sample by Kanye and Jay-Z in the song they named after him, “Otis.” They used this sample to add to the expressiveness of the song because Otis Redding was a very influential artist in his time.
Turnbalism is a term that was coined in the mid-1990s by DJ Babu (2/6) Turntabalism focuses more on technique and sound, more than vocals or raps. DJs are the artists behind turntables. Historically, the DJ will play and mix vinyl records but now digital sound files are used. Traditionally, a DJ will use 2 turntables that are hooked to an amp, speakers, and a mixer or a fader (2/6). DJs discover new music and find new records or songs by looking where most wouldn’t. The places that A DJ may search for music could be yard sales, old homes, garbage, record stores and collectors. (2/6)
ReplyDeleteSampling has been used to create links between African and other types of music. Sampling involves using pieces of songs to create new songs. By sampling songs, it allows old school music and new school music to come together—this allows fans of the old music and fans of the new music to both listen and bond over the same subject.
Turntabalism is an art, and a turntable is an instrument. The art of DJing created outlets for the youth to address frustrations and made way for the art of MCing, since many Djs produce the music that the rappers rap over. Many Djs find using CDs and sound files to be unethical because the traditional vinyl records is preferred. Turntabalism has the capacity to bring diverse groups together through manipulation of music culture (2/6)
The foundations of hip-hop rest primarily on the practice of sampling. We can view sampling over a wide range of hip-hop such as dance, art, and music which has shaped hip-hop and culture into a melting pot of artistic expression and history. Sampling it seems, stems from a regional, communal, and historical past of trading, sharing, mimicry, and visual/aural communication. We can view the sample as a fundamental element and dynamic tool for progression, individuality, and innovation; however, without the DJ, sampling would not have transitioned into full form throughout the hip-hop community.
ReplyDeleteThe DJ is someone who selects and plays music for an audience (lecture 2/6), but more importantly, it became a headlining artistry that demanded knowledge, respect, and understanding of the craft. The catalyst for DJ evolution was the "scratch" technique used on vinyl which transitioned the turntable into a musical instrument within itself. While the DJ was sampling and scratching, it became increasingly important to attribute credibility to those sounds if borrowed from other artists. Over stepping the duration, taking credibility, biting songs, etc became taboo for any DJ, MC, or artist that might knowingly or unknowingly do so. "They got all these breaks that everyone else has its just weird. Its not meant to be easy you know?"(Schloss 623). DJ culture and the practice of sampling has catalyzed hip-hop progression and history as well as many other aspects of artistry. Like any form of art it's important to recognize the history and traditions, while also devoting a level of professionalism to learn and understand the craft!
Turntablism is the art of using a turntable as an instrument, a medium for expression. The beginnings of the DJ and the turntable can be seen in its founding fathers like Bam and DJ Jazzy Jay (Geroge & Scratch). In the beginning turntables were used as a tool to create an atmosphere that would bring the community together. Yet, as the music and style evolved, the birth of turntablism emerged. Though the jam culture and crowd pleasing stayed the turntables began to become an art form unto themselves. Turntablism started with its primal, practical modes and moved to a reflection upon itself. This move seems to be common amongst all types of art (at least in the modern and post-modern periods). What is different about hip-hop and turntablism is that it emerged out of a contemporary social and philosophical context. This context allowed for the openness of sampling. Sampling seems to have a different connotation than merely learning or copying from another artist or nature. As classical art would try to draw inspiration from nature or perfection, in a postmodern world there is a disconnection from Truth. What we draw from is expression itself or the expression of others. This may be why in the movie Scratch there is so much emphasis the DJ’s put on the expression or experimenting. There is nothing to say but only the expression, the jam, the feel. This mystic way of seeing DJ culture is represented thoroughly in Karimi’s article. However, I do not think it is best to characterize all DJ’s in this way. Ideas have consequences and ideas will affect the way people act and express themselves. What I am trying to show is that aspects of hip-hop, turntablism, and sampling run along lines of modern and postmodern thought.
ReplyDeleteA huge aspect of Hip-Hop is the DJ, and there are a lot of strong traditions associated with DJing and DJ Culture. First of all, many DJs have a large amount of respect for the rules of sampling. There is a set of ethics that many follow because they maintain the history and integrity of finding their own records and making their own mixes. To deviate from these ethics is considered wrong and those who do so lose credibility among the rest of the industry. In the documentary, many DJs talk about how they began, and they are greatly respected for their innovations in turntabalism. Violating the ethics of sampling insults the DJs who created the originals. On the other hand, sampling is prevalent in DJ Culture. Bartlett argues that sampling revolutionized the Hip-Hop experience and allowed for many contrasts to flow together as one piece, providing a “multi-sensory extravaganza.” A great example is the Chang reading. In it, he samples from numerous different experiences in his life and culture. He references everything from Hip-Hop music to the All in the Family theme song. Several times he refers to his culture; he uses Spanish, talks about his dad’s background and the religious backgrounds of both of his parents. Chang also credits the samples he uses, which shows the respect he carries for the DJ culture.
ReplyDeleteThrough turntabalism and sampling, the DJ can manipulate sonic culture to bring diverse groups together. Turntablism was a term coined in the mid-1990s by DJ Babu who wanted to highlight the artistry and ethics of DJ-ing (Persley: lecture 2/6). From the movie, “Scratch,” Afrika Bambaataa creates turntabalism as an escape from Bronx and the violence and gangs. His goal was to change people’s lives (mostly the oppressed African American population), and have hip-hop be a social and political outlet. The term sampling means borrowing pieces of existing recorded music and using these sounds in new context as part of an original music work (Persley: lecture 2/6). It is essentially highly selective archiving (Bartlett 573). DJs follow a common code of ethics on what is ok to be sampled and what is to be left alone. DJs have historically used vinyl records and many swear these are the “only legitimate source for sampled material.” In class we talked about this idea of digging in creates and it “represents an intellectual commitment to the deejaying tradition as the foundation of hip-hop”(Schloss 615). Historically, hip-hop embodies and extends African-American rhythmic tendencies. This roots back to African Americans struggle for recognition and respect, as they have a long history of oppression. Another example is how the DJ and rappers created a “call and response” that resembles practices from before the African Diaspora. A great example of how DJs can bring people together is found in the reading “How I Found My Inner DJ,” where a line reads, “Hip-hop was walking hand in hand with Multiculturalism.” This demonstrates how much of an outlet hip-hop really is. The term sampled consciousness is defined here as the education, stories, interactions and observations an individual takes knowingly or unknowingly (Chang 223). The world is understood by what artists choose to sample because it represents what is important from the past, present, and future.
ReplyDeleteDJ Kool Akiem said, “I’m not gonna just take a loop that somebody else did,”(Schloss 612) in referencing the “No Biting” rule of hip-hop ethics, and in making his statement closed a door to an entirely different world of hip-hop. In the digital era sampling has taken on a new meaning. It is no longer associated with digging through the stacks in record shops and has everything to do with taking something that has already been done to higher levels, best portrayed by the song of the same name. “Levels” by Avicii has undergone so many facelifts since being released in late 2011. DJ’s hear the track and think they have something to add to the basic melody. Most remixes are failures, yet there are some that are worth a listen, much like how the hip-hop industry is with it’s artists. With DJ’s now looking at computer screens as mixing boards, turntabalism has evolved into sampling other works of hip-hop, and dance music, where once it was not only frowned upon, but also thought to be disrespectful. As the game keeps changing the rules, ethics, and codes will adapt with it. And besides without sampling how would Kanye West know that he is a genuis?
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about turntablism I think about the art of making music by the manipulation of sound by means of vinyl records and turntables. Many DJs in early hip-hop pride themselves with the ability to maneuver and rhythmically control the turntables in such a way that creates a unique sound and a unique way of mixing together different songs. One aspect we talked about in class and was also featured in the documentary Scratch, is the idea of not only creating a specific sound but also the performance behind it. If a DJ could do tricks while mastering the turntables he gained a new level of respect. Another part of turntablism discussed in the documentary was the communication through the music. Mix Master Mike from the Beastie Boys and other DJs claim to get their inspiration from communicating with aliens through scratch. This is just one example. Another is the communication between two DJs with this notion of battling.
ReplyDeleteSampling is the act of using one part of a certain text in another setting or text. Examples we have talked about include the Madonna performance, where she sampled from a variety of artists and cultures including; Egyptian culture, the group LMFAO, Nikki Minaj and more, and “Otis” by Jay-Z and Kanye where they sampled Otis Redding’s song “Try a Little Tenderness.” The significance in sampling is reflected in Robert Karimi’s article, How I Found my Inner DJ, by showing how a short excerpt can hold a centuries worth of knowledge. It allows for a broader spectrum of self-expression by being able to use one term or phrase or cultural aspect to tell a much deeper story.
Turntabalism is a musical practice in which a disc jockey mixer manipulates sounds to create music. Turntabalism is very much a part of Hip-hop as MCing , B-boying/girling, and graffiti because each of the aspects sample from one another along with other music genres aspects building the specific genre of music into what it is today. The documentary Scratch explains how Hip-hop began with DJing and evolved into scratching then turntabaling. Today, technology has ultimately revolutionized the turntabaling aspect of Hip-hop due to the readily available across to thousands of megabytes of digital music and sounds but the concept of sampling is still very much embedded into the genre. If anything it has made hip-hop better because we can now easily sample existing sounds and music from all throughout history to create new contextual songs. “The art of digital sampling involves using available media, texts, and contexts for per-formative use, which is connected to the African American/African diaspora aesthetic of repurposing (Bartlett 565). Sampling and Turntabalism are the essential foundations to completely understanding the roots of Hip-hop and where it originated from because these two historical aspects are the sparks that ignited the fire that is the genre of Hip-hop music today.
ReplyDeleteOver and over again, the idea of reverence for the “Old School” way of hip-hop is espoused by members of hip-hop culture, as seen in “Scratch,” and “Hip-hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes,” as well as many of the readings. In lecture, we learned that the DJ was the integral part of Old School hip-hop, while the MCs rose to dominance in the New School. Community “rules” for sampling have arisen amongst hip-hop producers, such as that of the importance of sampling from found vinyl records as opposed to CDs or mp3s. Joseph Schloss in “Sampling Ethics” mentions “digging for vinyl as an expression of hip-hop culture.” This is a striking philosophical example of synechdoche- of representing the whole of something with one aspect of it. However, as discussed in lecture, hip-hop originated from people “making do” with limited elements in order to create art and community. Innovation and adaptation were an enormous part of hip-hop’s initial success and ability to thrive. “Breaking the rules,” whether by writing graffiti, scratching records, or using break beats gave disenfranchised people power and a voice. If younger members of the community are breaking the established rules of their predecessors by turning to strategies/technologies for sampling, are they not staying true to this spirit of innovation and subversion of the establishment? To extrapolate on Schloss’ comment, I see the discussion of sampling ethics as representation of the Old School vs. New School debates, with, like many aspects of hip-hop, an uncertain outcome.
ReplyDeleteD.cohen
ReplyDeleteTurntablism and Sampling
It is important to note that djing used to be the star performance in hip-hop. People would go to shows just to see the DJ and see him use the turntables. To start off, the definition of turntablism is focused more on turntable technique and less on mixing, rapping or vocal delivery. (Lecture notes, Feb. 6). This has since changed because djing are now behind the scenes helping the performer out. Also, with the use of cds and new technology, the skill of turntable technique is diminishing. The definition of sampling is when DJ’s isolated particular parts of songs and used two turntables to manually mix them with other music to create a new sound. (Lecture notes, Feb. 6). This is still very popular today because it is very popular for well known artists to take parts of famous beats and make remix’s out of them. I think sampling will stay relevant for a long time in Hip-hop.